A-TIPS Concludes Pilot Project in Belmopan

Tanya Santos

This morning in Belmopan, a closing ceremony was held for the Anti Trafficking in Persons program, ATIPS.  A pilot project was concluded that implemented the mapping of establishments with liquor licenses, as well as community assets in Belmopan.  This initiative is part of the evidence-based Information Management for Citizen Security in Central America and the Dominican Republic Project, also known as InfoSegura, the first regional strategic partnership of the United Nations Development Program and the United States Agency for International Development.

Tanya Santos, C.E.O., Ministry of Human Development

“It was clear and it became even clearer that such an initiative would have high impact or has potential for high impact by achieving several goals.  First, and not limited to these, mapping of business establishments that could help the police in our anti-human trafficking or other law enforcement and peacekeeping activities.  Two, supporting the Belmopan City Council in the physical planning process.  Three, supporting the Belmopan City Council and it liquor licensing board and the Department of Local Government in improving approval and monitoring of license for business establishments and four, forging fruitful partnerships towards common goals.  This is why, besides the fact that it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas, I am smiling and contented today.  It is my hope that the project will be scaled up and scaled out to other municipalities as we continue our joint efforts in our mandates, in this case, the fight against human trafficking.”